Ex-Goldman director Gupta awaits sentence in insider case

By Basil Katz

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sentencing on Wednesday of fallen Wall Street titan Rajat Gupta for insider trading could come down to whether a judge agrees that his lifetime of charity counts against sending him to prison.

The former Goldman Sachs Group Inc board member was convicted in June of leaking boardroom secrets to hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, his friend and former business associate, at the height of the financial crisis.

Gupta, 63, is to be sentenced by Manhattan U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff, who oversaw the four-week trial. The former Goldman director, who also once ran the McKinsey & Co consulting firm and sat on the boards of Procter & Gamble Co and American Airlines, is the most influential corporate figure to be convicted in the recent crackdown on insider trading.

Indian-born Gupta had moved in elite business and philanthropic circles for decades until he became ensnared in the Rajaratnam case.

Gupta's lawyers have requested that he be spared prison, citing his work with groups such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on fighting disease in developing countries. Bill Gates, Microsoft Corp's co-founder, and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan are among the luminaries who have urged Rakoff to be lenient.

As one alternative to prison, the defense proposed "a less orthodox" plan in which Gupta would live and work with Rwandan government officials to help fight HIV/AIDS and malaria in rural districts, court papers said.

Federal prosecutors, however, argue that Gupta should serve eight to 10 years in prison. Gupta repeatedly flouted the law and abused his position as a corporate board member, they said.

SHAKESPEAREAN OVERTONES

Legal experts say Rakoff is unlikely to grant Gupta's request to avoid prison. The leaks of sensitive information at the heart of his case involved serious breaches of trust, said JaneAnne Murray, a white-collar defense attorney and professor at the University of Minnesota Law School.

"Balanced against that will be the breadth of his philanthropy," she said. "These extremes give this sentencing Shakespearean overtones."

Rakoff is considered by many defense attorneys to be less harsh in sentencing than some of his peers, but he has imposed significant prison terms in other insider-trading cases.

In 2011, for example, Rakoff sentenced technology consultant Winifred Jiau to four years in prison on similar insider-trading charges. Another judge sentenced Rajaratnam, who was convicted of securities fraud and conspiracy in May 2011, to 11 years.

Gupta was found guilty of three counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy. The maximum sentence is 20 years for securities fraud and five years for conspiracy.

He was cleared of divulging P&G's quarterly earnings in January 2009. He was also found not guilty of illegally telling Rajaratnam about Goldman's quarterly earnings after a March 12, 2007, board meeting.

Part of the prosecution's evidence was that within a minute of disconnecting from a September 2008 board call approving a $5 billion investment in Goldman by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, Gupta called Rajaratnam. Rajaratnam then hurriedly ordered his traders to buy as much as $40 million in Goldman stock, prosecutors said.

The case is USA v Gupta, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 11-cr-907.

(Reporting by Basil Katz; Editing by Martha Graybow and Matthew Lewis)

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ex-goldman-director-gupta-awaits-040726461.html

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What's Really In Halloween Candy | Greatist

Photo by Jordan Shakeshaft

These days, there?s more to a candy bar than simply chocolate. With a laundry list of?ingredients, it?s hard to know which ingredients aren?t the best to ingest, and why they?re there even in our candy bars in the first place. So we?ve peeled back the wrapper to uncover which ingredients are harmless, and which should go straight from the trick-or-treat bag to the trash.

What Is This In My Candy Bar?! ? The Need-to-Know

From the weirdly named additives to surprising ingredients and ominous oils, here are some ingredients in candy that will freak us out even when Halloween is over:

Safe

• Tertiary butyl hydroquinone. This impossible-to-pronounce preservative prevents candy from going rancid and enhances storage life. Better yet, both the FDA and European Food Safety Authority say TBHQ is safe for humans. (And thank goodness, since it?s in America?s favorite Reece?s Peanut Butter Cup.)
• Polyglycerol polyricinoleate. PGPR is a chemical that blends the ingredients in candy bars to make chocolate super smooth. It?s safe for humans to consume and is found in Kit Kat Bars and Hershey?s Milk Chocolate Bars^[].
• Soy lecithin. This additive is a substance extracted from soybeans that emulsifies the cocoa and cocoa butter in candy, keeping the ingredients from separating. Although soy can be a dangerfood when eaten in large quantities, (messing with hormone balance and testosterone levels) studies show small amounts of soy lecithin in our candy (like Almond Joy?s and M&M?s!) are a-okay^[][].

Caution

• Artificial flavors. Adding some flava flav to food can make them taste more appetizing (Butterfingers, anyone?). The studies of artificial flavors (not to be confused with artificial coloring!) are few and far between, but the Center For Science in the Public Interest says artificial flavoring is probably safe.
• Milk fat. We?re talkin? more than just whole milk, here. Milk fat is the main component of cream, and is composed of triglycerides, a type of fat that may thicken the artery walls and increase cardiovascular risk^[]. The bad news is milk fat is found in most chocolate candies, including Snickers and Milky Way bars.
• Salt. Yep, it?s not just in the savory stuff. Salt is often added to candy bars to offset all the sugar and corn syrup. And we definitely don?t need any more of the salty stuff: Most Americans consume more sodium than recommended (2,300 mg) which can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease.

Avoid

• Artificial coloring. Sorry M&M?s and candy corn, it looks like you?re doing more harm than good. Although artificial coloring may make candy more appealing, it has been linked to behavioral problems, asthma, and even cancer when consumed in large quanities^[][][]. Another (not so fun) fact? After Halloween in 1950, food dye Orange #1 was banned from candy (for good!) after many kids got sick.
• High fructose corn syrup. Sugar and spice may not be so nice. The consumption of HFCS, a sweetener derived from (you guessed it!) corn, may sometimes lead to kidney damage and liver disease in high doses^[][]. Hold off on those king-size Twix and Milky Ways (and most other candy bars, in fact)!
• Hydrogenated parm kernel oil. If you thought milk fat was bad, check out this oil creeping in our candy. More than 80 percent of palm kernel oil?s fat is the saturated kind (which can up LDL cholesterol) but is often used in foods because it?s cheaper than alternatives^[].

Have a Healthier Halloween ? Your Action Plan

Don?t fret! These sneaky ingredients don?t have to take all the fun (and flavor) from Halloween. Check out these tips for a healthier Halloween, no creepy ingredients included.

• Choose better. Okay, there?s no denying a least a few pieces of candy on Halloween. So while we?re at it, let?s pick some better options, like dark chocolate Raisinetes, mini Hershey Special Dark bars, or a Twizzler or two. Or try low fat popcorn and pretzels for some crunch!
• Make your own. Ditch the wrapper and make candy from scratch. Try some classics like Snickers, Reece?s Peanut Butter Cups, or these vegan Kit Kats.? That way, you?ll have control over everything that goes into the mix!
• Sharing is caring. Stuck with a whole bag of Halloween treats? Make sure to spread the love! Bring the bag into the office or share with friends, while allowing yourself a bite-sized treat when that sweet tooth kicks in!
• Get creative. The stomach can be satisfied on Halloween without going down the candy aisle. Sip on some spiced cider, munch on a caramel apple, or dip some sliced fruit in a creamy pumpkin dip.
• Give it away. Donate the extra goods to people around the world. Organizations like Operation Shoe Box and Operation Gratitude are great places to start.
• Celebrate outside. Halloween isn?t just about the sweets. Focus the fun on other traditions, like hayrides, apple picking, or walking through a haunted house (eek!). We promise you won?t miss those Almond Joy?s.

How carefully do you examine ingredient lists? Share your thoughts in the comments below or tweet the author at?@lschwech.

Source: http://greatist.com/health/whats-in-halloween-candy/

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Kristen Stewart Thrown by Breaking Dawn Japan Interview (watch!)

By TheImproper, October 23rd, 2012

Kristen Stewart looked like a stranger in a strange land during one of her first ?Breaking Dawn, Part 2? interviews on a Japanese television show. Never comfortable in the spotlight, the ?Twilight? star looked off her game even more.

Stewart, 22, flew to Japan to begin her promotional duties while boyfriend Robert Pattinson was having a little easier time in Australia.

She seemed determined to counter her image as someone who is aloof and distracted on the red carpet. Things went well until the show.

The name of the show ?Sukkiri? has no precise English translation. It roughly means, fresh or clean, but in the context of a television show the best definition is probably ?current.?

But that was only the beginning of the confusion. Stewart was flanked by hosts of the show. She was seated between the emcee and two other people on the set. An interpreter hovered behind her whispering the English translation in her ear. The translator apparently wasn?t the best.

The normally uptight actress seemed even more fidgety as the interview progressed. She fiddled with her hair, constantly ended up staring at the floor and gave short clipped answers, as if she didn?t fully understand the questions.

The interviewers not only asked about ?Breaking Dawn, Part 2,? but also asked about previous movies such as her child-starring role in ?The Panic Room? an previous ?Twilight film ?New Moon.? Kristen looks almost comical in her effort to communicate with her Japanese hosts.

Check out the video below and let us know your thoughts. And, click here to follow TheImproper on Twitter for more ?Breaking Dawn, Part 2? updates.

RELATED POSTS: CHECK OUT THESE TOP STORIES

Source: http://www.theimproper.com/48007/kristen-stewart-flummoxed-japanese-breaking-dawn-interview-watch

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Italian earthquake case is no anti-science witch-hunt

Manslaughter verdicts for six seismologists highlight the need for scientists to speak for themselves

It is easy to feel outrage at the jail terms handed down to six Italian seismologists and a civil servant this week. How could anyone hope to have predicted the earthquake that devastated L'Aquila in 2009?

That is the rallying cry, but failure to predict the quake is not, in fact, what the seven men have been convicted of. The prosecution made it crystal clear all along that their case was about poor risk communication; it was built on an accusation of giving out "inexact, incomplete and contradictory information".

On this charge, there was clearly a case to answer. Employed by Italy's Major Hazards Committee to assess earthquake risks and communicate them to the government and the public, the seismologists got the science right, but left the job of public communication to a civil protection official with no specialist knowledge of seismology. His statement to the press was, to put it mildly, a grossly inaccurate reflection of the situation: "The scientific community tells us there is no danger, because there is an ongoing discharge of energy. The situation looks favourable." At this point, the seismologists should have stepped in. But they did not, and the message stuck.

Of course, it is debatable whether this neglect merits a manslaughter conviction and six-year jail term. That is a matter for the Italian justice system. The appeals have already started.

But there are broader issues to consider. Many commentators argue that the L'Aquila verdict will have a chilling effect on the provision of scientific advice in Italy and beyond. That is clearly a concern worth taking seriously.

However, it should also encourage scientists who take on those roles to think long and hard about the responsibilities that come with them. It is tempting for scientists to defer communication with the public to others who are supposedly "experts" in doing so. But this approach often leads to confusion, as evidenced by a litany of failures in the past: BSE, vaccines, genetically modified crops and many more.

This cannot continue. Scientists valued for their expertise should speak for themselves rather than letting others speak for them. Lives are at stake.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

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Georgian dockers take first tentative steps towards new union

ITF translations available: Deutsch, Espa?ol, Fran?ais, Svenska

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Georgian dockers take first tentative steps towards new union

19 October 2012

Port workers in Georgia are setting up a brand new union in a Georgian port after they were spurred by a successful strike action.

The dockers walked out on strike from 9-10 October in dispute over the use of contracted labour, paid 600 GEL (US$362) per month, significantly less than workers in permanent employment who earned 1000 GEL (US$603); both sets of workers have to purchase their own equipment. They were also keen to highlight the poor working conditions they are having to endure.

Following intervention from the chairman of the Georgian Seafarers' Union Anatoly Chidjavadze and other officials from the Tbilisi Union Confederation, the employer agreed to enter into negotiations on the second day of the strike. The workers agreed to return to work on 11 October, after management said it would consider their grievances, including issues such as pay and working conditions. The workers also began the process of establishing the Poti Port Union, which is set to have a membership of approximately 200. It held its first meeting in the union hotel "Solidarity", located in the town of Kobuleti, which was organised by confederation officials.

Merab Chijavadze, ITF inspector in Batumi, said: ?The dockers have taken their first steps towards setting up the Poti Port Union. After it has been officially established, the union is likely to receive support and help from the Georgian Seafarers' Union and to rejoin the Tibilisi Union Confederation, which came to the workers? assistance during the dispute.?

On Tuesday 23 October Poti Port Union activists will hold a meeting led by representatives from the union confederation and Anatoly Chidjavadze during which they will put together a union charter.

Back to current news online stories

Source: http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/8037?frmSessionLanguage=ENG

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Junior Eagles place ninth at Winnipeg tournament | The Dryden ...

Kevin Woolfrey of the Jr. Volleyball team kills the ball vs. Beaver Brae, Oct. 16 with Noah Palermo cupping and Brook Trout (16) in the foreground. The junior boys are unbeaten thus far in the NorWOSSA regular season. Photo by Chris Marchand

Submitted

The Dryden junior boys volleyball team competed in their time travel tournament of the year Oct. 19 and 20, taking home a solid ninth place. The tournament was hosted by Sturgeon Heights collegiate in Winnipeg. In round robin play, Dryden played close matches against Mennonite Brethren CI, Vincent Massey, Sturgeon Heights and Selkirk. The playoff draw pitted Dryden against St. James high school, a match they won 25-18, 25-20 to take home ninth place.

Through the course of the weekend, setter Deven Trist, power hitter Kevin Woolfrey and libero Matt Wood were awarded player of the game distinctions.

It?s always nice to end the travel portion of your season on a high note,? said Coach Steve Laidlaw. ?Manitoba always provides excellent competition for the boys. The season is progressing as planned, the team is growing together and improving every day. Hopefully we will peak come NorWOSSA.?

The junior Eagles have clinched first place in NorWOSSA league play with a 6-0 record. In addition to the two remaining league games, the Eagles will host the DHS Pumpkin smash tournament October 26 and 27, featuring teams from across northwestern Ontario.

Source: http://thedrydenobserver.ca/2012/10/junior-eagles-place-ninth-at-winnipeg-tournament/

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Melanie Griffith Trashed By Twitter Trolls Over Her Appearance

Melanie Griffith Trashed By Twitter Trolls Over Her Appearance

Actress Melanie Griffith has revealed that she is taunted about her looks by cruel Twitter trolls. The “Working Girl” star, who has had various plastic [...]

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Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/10/melanie-griffith-trashed-by-twitter-trolls-over-her-appearance/

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The America Invents Act 500: Effects of Patent Monetization Entities ...

Guest Contributors: Sara Jeruss (left), Robin Feldman (center) and Joshua Walker (right).

Any discussion of flaws in the United States patent system inevitably turns to the system?s modern villain: non-practicing entities. They are known more colorfully as patent trolls, although the business model of non-practicing entities has appeared in copyright markets as well as well as in patent markets.

In the America Invents Act, Congress directed the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study ?on the consequences of patent infringement lawsuits brought by non-practicing entities.? At the GAO?s request, we provided data on non?practicing entities for five years (2007-2011) using a database from Lex Machina, formerly the Stanford IP Clearinghouse. ?The GAO requested only the coded data without analysis, and we provided this with the understanding that we would publish our own analysis of the data at a later time.

Our current article, which is in draft form and available at SSRN?and the final study will be available from the Duke Law & Technology Review. We note that although the cases were compiled at the GAO?s request, all conclusions are our alone and not those of the GAO.

As an initial matter, we chose to use the term ?patent monetization entity,? to describe those entities whose primary focus is deriving income from licensing and litigation, as opposed to making products. The article explains the way in which we believe our new terminology creates a better definitional grouping than terms employed in the past, such as NPE or PAE. In addition to the term patent monetization entity, we also use the word ?monetizer? as a short form.

We analyzed a random sample of 100 of the patent cases filed each year from 2007 through 2011, for a total of 500 cases, hence the title The America Invents Act 500.

Chief among the conclusions of the study are the following: First, based on our sample, lawsuits filed by patent monetizers have increased significantly over the five-year period. The sheer number of cases has increased, as well as the percentage of overall case filings represented by monetizers. In other words, lawsuits filed by patent monetizers are on the rise, while lawsuits filed by operating companies have fallen.

Specifically, lawsuits filed by monetizers increased from 22% of the cases filed five years ago to almost 40% of the cases filed in the most recent year.? In addition, monetizers were also heavily represented in the list of those who filed the greatest number of lawsuits. Of the 5 parties in the sample who filed the greatest number of lawsuits during the period studied, 4 were monetizers.? Only one was an operating company.

Of additional note, universities were almost invisible in this dataset, despite sometimes being grouped with non-practicing entities on the theory that they do not make products. Universities accounted for only 0.2% of the first-named plaintiffs who filed lawsuits in our sample. The number rises slightly when second-named plaintiffs are included, but remains quite small.

The data also show that cases filed by patent monetizers were unlikely to advance very far in the trial process and often settled prior to a summary judgment decision.

The data confirm in a dramatic fashion what many scholars and commentators have suspected: Patent monetization entities play a role in a substantial portion of the lawsuits filed today. The results are even more striking, given that the study examined only disputes that progressed to the courtroom. From all appearances, lawsuits filed are only the tip of the iceberg, and a major operating company may face hundreds of invitations to license for every lawsuit. Much of the bargaining, posturing, and payment concludes without any party filing suit. Thus, one can only imagine the magnitude of the impact that patent monetization has on the patent system, and on the economy, as a whole.

?

Sara Jeruss is Director of Legal Analytics at Lex Machina, Inc. Prior to working at Lex Machina, Sara was as a patent litigator at O?Melveny & Myers. Sara received her J.D. from Yale Law School and a Bachelors Degree from Cornell University, graduating summa cum laude. Sara is a member of the California Bar and the Federal Circuit Bar.

Robin Feldman is a Professor of Law at UC Hastings. She specializes in intellectual property and is the Director of the UC Hastings LAB Project. She has also served as the Herman Phleger Visiting Professor of Law at Stanford Law School. Professor Feldman has received the Rutter Award for Teaching Excellence and the 1066 Foundation Award for Scholarship.?Professor Feldman?s second book, Rethinking Patent Law, was published by Harvard in June and focuses on understanding patents form the perspective of bargaining. Her recent article on patent mass aggregators is titled The Giants Among Us and was published in Stanford?s technology journal in January. Other articles have appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and in journals at law schools including Georgetown, Minnesota, Stanford, Texas, USC, UCLA and Virginia. Her first book, The Role of Science in Law, was published by Oxford in 2009.

Joshua Walker is IP Counsel at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. He regularly collaborates with elite technology and financial clients, IP policy-makers, judges, and leading academics to advance the state of the art in IP practice. Walker was the Founding CEO of Lex Machina, Inc.?and the Founding Executive Director of Stanford University?s CodeX, the first law and computer science lab in the United States.

Source: http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2012/10/21/the-america-invents-act-500-effects-of-patent-monetization-entities-on-us-litigation/id=28998/

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Credit Suisse, UBS could cut a total 7,000 jobs: paper

ZURICH (Reuters) - UBS is to cut 3,000-5,000 jobs as part of cost-saving measures to offset falling profit, while rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse may announce 1,000-2,000 cuts, Der Sonntag newspaper reported.

UBS plans to shed 900 jobs in information technology, alongside a further 2,000-4,000 layoffs in its investment bank and other central functions, the paper said.

A spokesman for UBS, scheduled to report third-quarter earnings on October 30, would not comment on the report.

Major banks worldwide are slashing costs as they grapple with new capital requirements, a sluggish global economy and flaccid equities trading volumes.

Speculation has been rife in Swiss media in recent weeks that the country's two major banks will unveil further job cuts alongside quarterly results.

Last week, UBS said final decisions in an ongoing business review have not yet been taken, after a newspaper reported the it was set to axe around 2,000 jobs in information technology.

Der Sonntag's story about possible job losses at Credit Suisse contrasted with a separate report in the SonntagsZeitung newspaper - also citing unnamed bank insiders - that Credit Suisse would hold off announcing massive job cuts or other drastic measures when it publishes its results on October 25.

Credit Suisse, which declined to comment on either report, announced an extra 1 billion Swiss francs ($1.1 billion) cost cuts at its second-quarter results after reaching a previous target to slash spending by 2 billion francs early.

Under the original 2 billion franc plan, Credit Suisse wanted to shed 3,500 positions. It said total staff numbers were down 1,500 from the end of 2011 to 48,200 at the end of June.

($1 = 0.9279 Swiss franc)

(Reporting by Caroline Copley; Editing by Dan Lalor)

(Caroline.Copley@thomsonreuters.com; +41 58 306 7354; Reuters Messaging: caroline.copley.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/credit-suisse-ubs-could-cut-total-7-000-124129241--finance.html

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Extraordinary Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Improvement ...

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Publised: October 22nd, 2012 Category: Kitchen
Tags: small Kitchens, Small Bathroom Decor, Small Home Decor
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Extraordinary Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Improvement

Impressive, the design above is charm result of good Kitchen style, this Extraordinary Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Improvement is related with small Wall Decor that we have write some time ago. In your mobile paced lives a little peace is always welcome, so take a moment to relax and accept the Impressive retro Kitchen. In our quick paced lives a little calm is always follow, so take a little time to lie down and meet the Trendy elegant Kitchen. Trendy, the image above is unique result of good Kitchen accent, this Extraordinary Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Improvement is linked with small Wall Decor that we have talked about previously. This Extraordinary Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Improvement is good sense. Additionally, adjoin the Kitchen with a simple adorn will balanced from the overpowering small Kitchen Design accent.

If you like this Kitchen decoration we are advise you to see the Great Kitchen below. Need more ideas? check out the another Fabulous Kitchen design similar with Extraordinary Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Improvement in small Wall Decor topic.

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Source: http://www.trendecoration.com/extraordinary-small-kitchen-remodeling-ideas-home-improvement.html

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7 Tricks Affiliate Programs Starting With ... - Make Money With Fun

7 Tricks Affiliate Programs Starting With Personal Blog

1. Focus On Needs Your Blog VisitorsWhat to look for your blog visitors? What information can you give to visitors of your blog? Often we are so tempted to promote products labeled "Best Seller" or "Hot Deals" section of our affiliate program follow regardless of whether your blog visitors need the product or not. As a result, instead of going to buy, your blog visitors even embarrassed by the sales pitch page that you create. Try to meet the needs of visitors to your blog first. If your personal blog contains more about the "flower arranging tips", do not push yourself to promote the Nintendo Wii to your blog visitors. :)
2. Select Product and Best Affiliate ProgramAfter determining what products are in accordance with the needs of visitors to your blog, the next step is to choose the best affiliate products and programs you can promote. There are thousands of products you can promote via affiliate programs that you can follow. I personally follow some affiliate programs (Amazon Associates, Commission Junction, ClickBank and Linkshare), but I feel more comfortable promoting Amazon products rather than the product of the other three programs. Perhaps because the Amazon branding already established relatively easily accepted. Or maybe because I still have much to learn about the three other affiliate programs. To be sure, choose the best affiliate products and programs you think that you feel comfortable to promote.



3. Your Personal Experience Is The Best RecommendationsOne of the advantages of a personal blog is a personal nature. Relationships owners and visitors personal blog frequently as the relationship between friends. By exploiting the nature of personal relationships, it will be easier for you to promote your affiliate products to your blog visitors. Especially if you have to buy or use affiliate products you want to promote on your blog. Ken Evoy, founder CTPM Pilar (Pilar CTPM InsyaAllah this topic I will write at a later time), calling it a pre-selling advantages. When you have a close relationship and a warm, honest, serve and demonstrate proficiency in the areas that you control to your blog visitors, it would be much easier for you to do the selling without having to impress "sell" something.
4. Text Link Much Better Than Banner LinkInserting affiliate banner link is much easier, but its effectiveness is much smaller than using a text link in your blog post section. Concretely, try to enter text link affiliate products that you follow in the post the articles you write. Of course topic of the article should be appropriate and relevant to the product you want to promote. I personally prefer to use text links to promote the products that I follow Amazon Associates. And the result is different than just put up a banner link Amazon Associates.
5. Be Honest To Your Blog VisitorsPromoting affiliate products on your personal blog is not something unlawful. However, it does not hurt also to be honest with your visitors by telling that you paste the link in your post are affiliate links. Put a (Ref) or (Aff) if you use the link that will bring visitors to your blog landing page affiliate program that you follow. Why do I have to be honest? First, your integrity. Because of the nature of a personal blog, your blog visitors will appreciate if you are honest with them. Second, appreciate the time your visitors. If they want to know more, they will click on the link affiliate products on your blog even if you had a (Ref) or (Aff).
6. Provide More Choices To Your Blog VisitorsAdage that cliche but true: "Do not put all your eggs in one basket." Try to diversify your revenue stream from online business. Do not stick to one program only. If possible, combine it with other affiliate programs or even with other online business programs. However, it remains important to note that your personal blog not too much crammed with a variety of programs. Imagine if in every post you insert article 10 of the affiliate links 10 different programs. :) Your blog visitors will surely fed up and run away from your blog. :)
7. Promote Shared TimeThe key is: do not be too quick to stop promoting affiliate products that you follow even if you get the value of earnings is still little or even none at all. Try to keep writing and pasting the link (of course once again be relevant to the topic of your post) affiliate programs on your blog. Over time, it is not impossible if your affiliate product links are sought after one month, two months or even a year after you write on your blog. If you have post pages indexed search engines, it is not likely people will find your blog, click on your affiliate link and make a purchase. So, just wait. Do not despair.
Perhaps seven simple tips above can be a beginning to start running affiliate programs on your personal blog. What do you think? Do you have any personal tips are proven to deliver positive results for the affiliate program you are running? Or is it not working?
Good luck. Hopefully useful.

Source: http://703m.blogspot.com/2012/10/7-tricks-affiliate-programs-starting.html

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Scottsdale Real Estate Market in 2012 - Low Ball ... - Scottsdale homes

During 2011, low ball offers were fairly common in Scottsdale AZ. Realtors wouldn?t blink when they received a low ball offer.? In fact, 10% of Realtors said they received at least one low ball offer on one of their listed homes. A low ball is usually considered an offer that is more than 25% off of the list price. The number of low ball offers that we are seeing in Scottsdale has dropped dramatically during 2012. Most buyers realize that this is a waste of their time. There is often not even a remote possibility that a Seller will consider an offer that far off of the list price.

There is a lot of competition for homes in Scottsdale right now and the Sellers know it. The inventory of homes for sale in Scottsdale is at a 3 year low. There simply aren?t enough homes on the market. There are more buyers than good homes for sale. The only time a low ball offer is even a possibility is if the home has been on the market for over a year. The longer the home is on the market, the more likely it is that an owner will consider a significant price reduction.

Visit our Scottsdale real estate trends page for more information on how the market has changed in the past year.

Feel free to call me at (602) 791-0536 with any questions or to schedule an appointment to view Scottsdale homes for sale.

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Carmen Brodeur
Realtor | Attorney
The Brodeur Luxury Group | Trillium Properties
8755 E Bell Road, Suite 108 | Scottsdale AZ 85260
Cell (602) 791-0536
Direct (800) 300-0263
www.TopScottsdaleHomes.com

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Source: http://www.topscottsdalehomes.com/low-ball-offers-for-scottsdale-homes-a-thing-of-the-past/

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Reports: Adele gives birth to baby boy

Danny Moloshok / Reuters file

Singer Adele in Los Angeles in August 2011.

By Erin O?Sullivan, Access Hollywood

Is Adele officially a mom? According to multiple reports out of the UK, the notoriously private singer has given birth to a baby boy.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: ?Rolling In The Deep? With The Lovely Adele

"Adele and [beau] Simon [Konecki] are ecstatic at their new arrival,? a source told the UK?s Sunday People.

The UK?s Daily Mail reported that the baby was born on Friday.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood?s Hottest Moms & Their Loveable Little Ones

Adele?s rep declined to comment on the reported birth, telling the paper, ?We are not releasing a statement at this time. No comment.?

The ?Skyfall? singer, 24, announced her pregnancy on her website in late June.

?I?m delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together,? she wrote in a post at the time.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebrity Baby Bumps

?I wanted you to hear the news direct from me,? she continued. ?Obviously we?re over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time.

The Grammy-winning singer first met boyfriend Simon Konecki, 38, a businessman who co-founded UK bottled water charity Life Water, in summer 2011.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Body After Baby: Stars Who Slimmed Down After Giving Birth

The pair first went public in January in Florida during a trip to the Everglades.

They also attended the 2012 Grammy Awards together in February, where Adele won six awards including the coveted categories of record, song and album of the year.

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/10/21/14597734-reports-adele-gives-birth-to-baby-boy?lite

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Legal Theory Blog: Legal Theory Bookworm

The Legal Theory Bookworm recommends two books by G.A. Cohen:

Finding Oneself in the Other. Here is a description:

This is the second of three volumes of posthumously collected writings of G. A. Cohen, who was one of the leading, and most progressive, figures in contemporary political philosophy. This volume brings together some of Cohen's most personal philosophical and nonphilosophical essays, many of them previously unpublished. Rich in first-person narration, insight, and humor, these pieces vividly demonstrate why Thomas Nagel described Cohen as a "wonderful raconteur." The nonphilosophical highlight of the book is Cohen's remarkable account of his first trip to India, which includes unforgettable vignettes of encounters with strangers and reflections on poverty and begging. Other biographical pieces include his valedictory lecture at Oxford, in which he describes his philosophical development and offers his impressions of other philosophers, and "Isaiah's Marx, and Mine," a tribute to his mentor Isaiah Berlin. Other essays address such topics as the truth in "small-c conservatism," who can and can't condemn terrorists, and the essence of bullshit. A recurring theme is finding completion in relation to the world of other human beings. Engaging, perceptive, and empathetic, these writings reveal a more personal side of one of the most influential philosophers of our time.

And?On the Currency of Egalitarian Justice, and Other Essays in Political Philosophy:

G. A. Cohen was one of the most gifted, influential, and progressive voices in contemporary political philosophy. At the time of his death in 2009, he had plans to bring together a number of his most significant papers. This is the first of three volumes to realize those plans. Drawing on three decades of work, it contains previously uncollected articles that have shaped many of the central debates in political philosophy, as well as papers published here for the first time. In these pieces, Cohen asks what egalitarians have most reason to equalize, he considers the relationship between freedom and property, and he reflects upon ideal theory and political practice.

Included here are classic essays such as "Equality of What?" and "Capitalism, Freedom, and the Proletariat," along with more recent contributions such as "Fairness and Legitimacy in Justice," "Freedom and Money," and the previously unpublished "How to Do Political Philosophy." On ample display throughout are the clarity, rigor, conviction, and wit for which Cohen was renowned. Together, these essays demonstrate how his work provides a powerful account of liberty and equality to the left of Ronald Dworkin, John Rawls, Amartya Sen, and Isaiah Berlin.

Cohen was one of the great political philosophers of the late twentieth century.

Source: http://lsolum.typepad.com/legaltheory/2012/10/leg.html

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Oil's Big Fail Is Distracting You From the Real ... - Yahoo! Finance

We've all seen the pictures and surely know how time consuming and hard it is to clean up after an oil spill. And if you ask JC Parets, the founder of Eagle Bay Capital and senior editor of AllStarCharts.com about crude oil futures right now, he'll tell you to turn your eyes elsewhere if you want t0 find a real hot commodity right now.

"Oil itself is all over the place. The chart is a mess," Parets says in the attached video, in which he describes the recent slump from $100 as a dramatic failure. "The major trend we need to follow isn't 0il, it's oil versus natural gas."

When natural gas dipped below $2.00 in April, he says it may as well have "been left for dead." Part of the reason he prefers the natural gas story is because it is still so far below its historic 10-year average relative to oil of about 10-to-1 before soaring to 54-to-1 in the spring.

"That was out of control and that ratio has been crashing ever since," he says, calling the low price of the country's most abundant energy source ''a generational low."

At the same time he says other energy sources like coal are worth a look too, particularly since the low price of natural gas has had a dramatic impact on coal demand as power plants converted their turbines to the cleaner fuel.

"If we're right on nat gas and continue to see higher prices, I think we should continue to see higher prices for coal as well," he predicts, adding that investors should stay away from crude since there are better places to be.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/oil-big-fail-distracting-real-opportunity-134828816.html

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Muscle Building Advice That Will Save You Time | Marijuana for MRSA

Try varying your grips. Once you become experienced in working out, your muscles will start to resist any growth on exercises that are familiar to them. Different grips can help to make these familiar exercises different, which can cause additional muscle growth. Examples of exercise where you can change the grip are barbell rows, barbell curls, pull-ups, and bench presses. Try using wide grips, close hand grips, reverse grips, and even mixed grips that include having one hand up and one hand down.

As you are lifting weights, do your movements slowly. Moving too fast uses the body?s momentum instead of letting the muscles do the work. Likewise, don?t swing the weights, because this keeps the isolated muscle from doing the work. This is why going slow seems harder. The isolated muscle is doing its work!

Aim to maintain a journal when following a workout regimen. Jot down the exercises that you do, the number of sets and reps you do, and anything else concerning your workout. You should write down how much rest you get each night and even how you feel during workouts. Writing down everything that you can allows you to better keep track of how you are doing every single week.

When building muscle it is important to be sure that you are giving your body enough fuel throughout the day. You need to up your caloric intake if you want to be able to build muscle and burn as much fat as humanly possible. It is important to learn which foods are best for repairing muscle fibers.

In order to gain as much muscle as possible it is important for someone to eat multiple small meals throughout the day. The meals need to consist of protein; carbohydrates and good fats if they are going to give the body the fuel it needs to grow muscle and burn fat.

Utilize the rest-pause method in your workouts. This method claims that your muscles usually gain up to 90% of its strength back in just a matter of 10 to 20 seconds. In order to do it effectively, pick a heavy weight that can cause you to go to failure at a particular rep, such as eight to ten reps, and then stop after short couple reps. Rest for around 10 to 20 seconds, and then resume your reps.

You may have already encountered the exercise technique called ?21s? in terms of bicep curls, but you can apply the same strategy to any resistance training exercise. To do a 21, you need to complete seven partial reps, doing only the bottom half of the exercise. Follow this with seven reps of the top half. Finish off by doing seven full reps of the complete exercise.

Eat a lot of protein. It?s a well known fact that the more protein your body can store, the more muscle you can build. Try to have at least one gram of the protein you need for every pound that you weigh. For instance, a 150 pound woman should attempt to eat approximately 150 grams, meat and other protein, every day.

When you are trying to build muscle to improve your health and fitness, it is essential to recognize that rest is just as important as the exercise in encouraging muscle growth. Muscles need recovery time to repair damage and build new fibers. Working out too frequently or too aggressively can work against you in the long run.

Pressing through the heels is vital when it comes to performing lunges, deadlifts, and squats. Doing this keeps your weight over the hips, which lets you press additional weight without increasing your chance of injuring your knees. If you discover that your weight is mostly on the balls of the feet, then you should readjust your form.

If you are on a program to build muscle, try losing any excess weight you are carrying first. You must consume fewer calories than you burn. Any activity such as mowing the lawn, bike riding or swimming will create a caloric deficit. As you lose weight, you will begin to see your muscles appear. Then it?s time to work them!

It is not a good idea to do aerobic exercise when you are trying to increase the amount of muscle your body has. The aerobic exercise can cause your body to use up the glycogen and amino acids that the muscles need for repair and growth. Weight lifting is enough exercise to give you the muscles that you want.

Hopefully, you will find the advice from this article to be inspiring and helpful in reaching your muscle building goals. You are surely going to get far better results by taking the advice that you have found here and applying it to your everyday life during your muscle training sessions.

Lewis Pocklington produces e-books on MuscleTech

Source: http://cannabismrsacure.letstalkaboutpot.com/muscle-building-advice-that-will-save-you-time/

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Panda Cub Steps into 'Awkward Toddler Stage'

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Travel & Leisure Blogs: The Additional Perks For Backpackers In ...

By Williem Frost

Whenever you are going on vacation or perhaps if it is a business trip and you want to be economical you can find some good ways to do this, and one of the best examples to comply with would be what backpackers in Auckland do.

Even for the seasoned backpackers in Auckland there are several extra benefits that they are able to take advantage of that they may not be aware of, that not just saves them cash but makes their stay in NZ all the more enjoyable. These bonuses may be found by taking advantage of backpackers in Auckland opportunities provided through the accommodation industry that caters to this particular type of traveller.

Taking a look at the person who's there on business and doesn't demand more conventional types of accommodation like hotels or serviced apartments, it makes more sense to make use of the services of backpackers' lodges. A respected and customer service orientated establishment might be instrumental in helping those that are on a working vacation get the suitable forms essential for their visa. Or something simple like providing a reference letter, so the working guest can open a bank account.

It certainly is an added benefit to find a backpackers lodge that is conveniently located both to the working guest as well as the traveler. The city centre as well as the sky tower, are well-known hot spots and being effectively located to these is definitely an extra perk. Something small but important also, is getting access to the internet and wifi with no extra fees is truly important. It's essential to keep in mind when one is away from home it is all of the little charges that really add up. Excellent accommodation establishments go to lengthy measures to help reduce these expenses by providing as many perks as they can.

Although backpackers in Auckland attempt to take every opportunity to walk where they wish to go, you can find still instances that they require vehicle rentals. Good lodgings generally involves the access to good money saving details as to the competitive rental rates for automobiles. The bottom line is the establishments that are supplying lodgings for backpacking fanatics goes the extra mile to save their guests cash, and give them each and every explanation to wish to return to NZ whenever the opportunity arises.

Backpackers in Auckland learned that it really is always a pleasure to spend time here, but a lot of that is due to the type of accommodation services that they've depended on when staying in NZ. It is these added perks mentioned right here and many more like them, which make staying away from home while in Auckland cost effective plus a wonderful away from home experience.

Source: http://travel-leisure-blogs.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-additional-perks-for-backpackers-in.html

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Source: http://riverside-kiwi.blogspot.com/2012/10/travel-leisure-blog-additional-perks.html

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Source: http://lileyxykymberly9.typepad.com/blog/2012/10/travel-leisure-blogs-the-additional-perks-for-backpackers-in.html

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Source: http://tymutocev.posterous.com/travel-leisure-blogs-the-additional-perks-for

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Answers To Your Questions About Personal Finance - MVR Agency

At some point in their lives, everyone has to manage their personal finances. As members of society gain income, they must decide how they will allocate their funds to best suit their present and future needs. Personal finance management is important to surviving in today?s world.

Only use a widely accepted national credit card to pay for something, when you know for sure that you can pay it off quickly. Interest rates will just create more debt for yourself, especially if you have an account with a company that charges a lot of money per month.

Did you know that you can conserve gas, save money and free up more time in your day by batching your errands together. Have just one errand day each week, and map out your errand stops so that you can plan the most efficient route. Save postage by batching your bill paying using an online service each month over the internet.

One of the best ways to start saving is to get an old-fashioned piggy bank. Get a big plastic one that cannot be opened. Put all your change in your piggy bank and if you find money or get money as a gift, put half of it in the piggy bank. When the piggy bank is full, cut it open. You will have a great start to a savings account.? Now a days interest on a savings account is just a fraction of 1% so your money is not even keeping up with inflation if you give it to a bank, but they will be quick to charge you fees for using ATMs etc?? and thats for getting your own money.

When it comes to saving money, it is not just about paying yourself first and sticking to a budget that you need to focus on. Cut corners whenever possible, and pinch those pennies! Don?t be a tightwad, but make sure that you are making financially responsible decisions and helping yourself, whenever you can.

Look for a way to make more. In today?s world, everyone is hustling to make that extra buck. If you have made all the necessary changes to your budget, and you?re still coming up short, then the answer is simple. You must have more income. There are many different ways you can earn some extra income, so be diligent, and find your way.

For many people, thinking clearly and consistently saving money is a major issue. It should be mentioned, however, that once you get used to saving money, it is rather simple. It just takes discipline and the right frame of mine. Get your mind right, and you will see, in no time, that you are able to save money much easier.

When it comes to investing, you shouldn?t put all your eggs into one basket. The term ?investment portfolio? is used for a reason! You should make a variety of investments that will be able to benefit you in a number of ways. This will assure that you won?t lose out on your nest egg if one market turns sour.

If you want to be able to efficiently manage your personal finances one of the things that you need to define is your budget. Not having a defined budget is like driving a car without a steering wheel. A well defined budget will help you define your priorities in terms of spending.

Don?t order your checks through your bank! Most banks charge a pretty hefty fee for printing your checks because they aren?t the actual printer. They are financial institutions but they are just a middle man when it comes to printing. Look for ads in the Sunday inserts to find a cheap check printer.? Staples or even the UPS Store is cheaper.

If you want to be secure financially, you need to make a long-term plan. You should make separate plans that work together until you die. These plans should be for a month, year, five years, ten years, twenty years and so on. This will give you insight on what needs to be done to succeed.

In conclusion, everyone must learn to manage their personal finances. People must decide how to use their income to sustain them for the present and the future. Personal finance and financial services planning is important and the tips found in this article will help you manage your personal finances for the present and future.

Source: http://www.mvragency.com/blog/?p=262

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Brewsees sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun? your liver not so much

Ok here’s a product I never envisioned (sorry…) till now. Brewsees are wrap around plastic framed sunglasses with polarized lenses that feature bottle openers in the ear pieces that have been designed for opening soda or beer bottles. Also included with the sunglasses is a beer coozie that can be used to keep your beer [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/10/17/brewsees-sunglasses-protect-your-eyes-from-the-sun-your-liver-not-so-much/

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Merkel, Hollande clash on EU budget czar before summit

BERLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Germany and France, Europe's two central powers, clashed over greater European Union control of national budgets and moves towards a single banking supervisor before a summit of the bloc's leaders began on Thursday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded stronger authority for the executive European Commission to veto national budgets that breach EU rules, but French President Francois Hollande said the issue was not on the summit agenda and the priority was to get moving on a European banking union.

The two leaders met privately for 30 minutes just before the start of the 22nd EU summit since the euro zone's debt crisis erupted nearly three years ago. Afterwards, a French source said they had agreed on the need for a tight timetable for introducing banking union.

Addressing parliament in Berlin earlier, Merkel sought to slow the race to create a single European banking supervisor, saying quality was more important than speed.

Reluctant to see its politically sensitive regional Landesbanks and savings banks come under outside supervision, Germany says European oversight should cover big cross-border banks only, and rejects any joint deposit guarantee under which richer countries might underwrite banks in poorer counterparts.

Hollande told reporters: "The topic of this summit is not the fiscal union but the banking union, so the only decision that will be taken is to set up a banking union by the end of the year and especially the banking supervision.

Asked why he thought Merkel was dragging her feet, Hollande said it could be related to Germany's electoral calendar, with elections due in September 2013, adding that the two dominant EU powers had a duty to solve the crisis.

In Greece, police clashed with protesters hurling stones and petrol bombs during a general strike that brought much of the near-bankrupt country to a standstill.

In her speech to parliament, Merkel skirted the issue of a possible credit line for Spain, which euro zone officials expect Madrid to request within weeks, but reiterated her desire to keep Greece in the currency area despite chronic debt problems.

"We have made good progress on strengthening fiscal discipline with the fiscal pact but we are of the opinion, and I speak for the whole German government on this, that we could go a step further by giving Europe real rights of intervention in national budgets," Merkel told the Bundestag lower house.

A proposal by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble to create a super-empowered European currency commissioner was a possible way forward, she said, and more European control called for a stronger European Parliament. Such moves would require EU treaty changes, which Hollande is keen to avoid.

"FISCAL CAPACITY"

Merkel also advocated the creation of a European fund to invest in specific projects in member states which she said could be fuelled by a financial transaction tax which 11 euro zone countries have said they will adopt.

Her call echoed a proposal for the 17-member euro zone to have its own budget -- known in EU jargon as a "fiscal capacity" -- on top of the 27-nation union's common budget, which mostly funds agriculture and aid to poorer regions.

In a plea for unity at the start of the summit, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said last week's award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU should inspire leaders to work together for peace and prosperity.

A note circulated by Van Rompuy to leaders said the proposed new pot of money could provide euro zone countries with insurance against economic shocks and support those that committed themselves contractually to structural reforms.

"Every member state, regardless of their income levels, would over time contribute," Van Rompuy wrote to EU leaders in a note seen by Reuters. "Therefore, this would not lead to permanent transfers across countries."

Several countries, including the Netherlands, Finland and Austria, voiced suspicion of the idea, although none rejected it outright.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, in an address to the summit, warned the leaders against proposals which he said "threaten to drive a wedge through our union".

"Above all, there is no need whatsoever to create new, parallel unions and new, parallel institutions," he said.

Decisions on institutional reforms are not expected until a December summit, and Merkel's demands appeared to be partly an attempt to shift the focus away from moves towards a banking union, which have drawn fierce criticism in Germany.

SENSE OF URGENCY FADING?

Since the European Central Bank said last month it was ready to buy the bonds of struggling euro zone states in unlimited amounts, state borrowing costs have fallen sharply and some of the pressure to move rapidly to resolve the crisis has dissipated.

Spain's 10-year bond yields sank to their lowest since February at an auction on Thursday, helped by Moody's decision this week to leave its credit rating at investment grade.

But rather than signaling that Madrid does not need help, Moody's verdict was predicated on Spain applying soon for a euro zone assistance programme to trigger ECB intervention.

"In many senses, it's a very false market because it's not really telling you (whether) people feel comfortable about the outlook for Spain," said Marc Ostwald, strategist at Monument Securities in London.

The leaders agreed at their last summit in June to create a single banking supervisor under the ECB, but the original goal of having legislation in place by January 2013 already looks in doubt, and it may not be fully up and running until 2014.

EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said it was important the summit maintain the momentum on banking union "which is critical to break the vicious circle between sovereigns and banks".

Joerg Asmussen, the German member of the ECB's executive board, said on Wednesday the central bank would not be ready to start overseeing banks from early next year, and said it was more important to do it properly than to do it quickly.

The latest draft summit conclusions said only that a single supervisor was a "matter of priority" and leaders should have the "objective of completing it by the end of the year".

The deeper the discussion on banking union goes, the more complex and problematic it gets. As well as disagreement over the timeline for a single supervisor -- a prerequisite for the euro zone's rescue mechanism to be able to recapitalize banks directly -- there are disputes about how it will function.

Countries outside the euro zone -- particularly Britain, which has Europe's biggest banking sector -- are concerned their banks could be disadvantaged if no balance is maintained between the ECB and its oversight of euro zone banks and the powers of other authorities to oversee non-euro zone banks.

And if non-euro zone countries join the banking union, as policymakers are hoping, it is unclear what representation they would then have within the ECB, since the central bank is currently answerable only to euro zone member states.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Brown and Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Jan Strupczewski and Luke Baker in Brussels, Harry Papachristou and Lefteris Papadimas in Athens and Gilbert Krijger in Amsterdam. Writing by Paul Taylor, editing by Mike Peacock)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/merkel-seeks-more-eu-budget-control-french-cool-112014943--business.html

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